DIY Recycle and Reuse Garden Projects That Will Blow Your Mind

Gardening is one of the sweetest pleasures in life, regardless of your age. There is something special about putting effort into planting something, watching patiently how it grows. Even children are advised to learn it from an early age, as it offers plenty of life lessons that will equip them well for the rest of their lives.

Now, if you don’t think that you are handy enough to think up creative projects on your own, the Internet can help. There are so many articles with step-by-step instructions that you can follow for guidance. And what’s nice about them is that they can cater to just about any look that you want!

If you’re aiming for an exterior space that could be a veritable example of fairy gardening in Australia or in other areas, for instance, you’ll find several helpful resources that can advise you on the accessories that you should get and use.

The thing, though, is that gardening does need some space – and many people take that to mean that gardening requires plenty of money. But what if you could recycle and reuse some objects to have the spot that you need to watch something bloom? Here are some DIY upcycling projects that you can try, using common and inexpensive items.

Weathered Home Decor

Every household has an unspoken secret: the existence of old decorations that we no longer use but cannot quite remember to throw out yet.

And just as well! Did you know that with a little creativity, you can turn weather decoration accessories into accessories for your garden? Take old mirrors, for instance. If you have a couple in your shed that you don’t know what to do with, you can use them to create the illusion of more space in your backyard by hanging them on a fence or on the side of your shed!

If you have keys, trinkets, and other metallic items all jumbled up, you can string them all together and hang them from a colander.

What do you get in return?

An instant wind chime! Or maybe you have some bases from broken lamps that still look a little functional; make them useful again by using them as pedestals for your planters. If you have a bird bath, they would do nicely, too! And rugs that are too shabby to use in your home can instead be used on your patio for that extra homey feel.

Empty Wine Bottles

Who doesn’t love a good bottle of wine? Now you can love the drink more because you can easily upcycle old bottles into gardening accessories! Let’s start with the cork. If you grow quite a lot of plants and blooms in your garden, you can write their names onto the corks, attach the corks to skewers, and enjoy your new garden markers!

If you are a little handy, you can use the bottles to make a tree that can be used for flowering vines. If you have trumpet vine or morning glory, you would easily have a brand new attraction that will wow your family and your guests.

Or if you’re going out of town, fill the wine bottles with water and put them upside down on your planters; they will take care of watering your plants for you.

Old Garden Hose

If you think your weathered garden hose is no longer functional, think again. First off, you can create a makeshift compost pin with it by weaving it around four wooden posts. Make sure that the posts are set in a square so that the hose can settle in shape nicely.

You can also opt to turn it into a doormat that separates your garden pathway from the rest of the house. To do this, simply cut the hose into lengths, then put corks on the cut ends. Glue them together to an old mat that you no longer use, and voila!

If you have kids around the house, you can also cap swing-set chains with a hose so that their fingers are protected from the sharp edges.

Or you can wrap small lengths of it around the handles of your buckets, if you would like to have a more secure grip the next time you use the buckets.

And to spruce up your garden, you can shape the hose into a loose circle and then add embellishments to it such as gardening gloves to create a DIY wreath. Hang it up wherever you’d like!

Unused Mason Jars

Mason jars are some of the versatile accessories ever created, and their versatility does not exclude gardening. For example, if you have some fresh blooms and no vases, yes, you guessed it: Mason jars can stand as vases. You can opt to use them as they are, or you can paint the inside with some fun colors for extra prettiness!

Or if you have garden herbs that you’d like to store in more accessible vessels, take some hooks, attach them to the sides of your kitchen window, get a wire that is durable enough to support the weight of Mason jars, and hang the jars on the wire.

You will never have to worry about scouring around your kitchen for the herbs again. Or you can put some Christmas lights inside the jars for a cute centerpiece that can sass up any evening party.

Outgrown Kids and Baby Accessories

If your children no longer use the gear and accessories, turn them into little helpers for your garden instead! A diaper bag, for instance, can effectively double as a container for lightweight tools such as gloves.

Sandboxes can also serve as your new herb planters; just make sure that you punch drainage holes on the bottom, so that the herbs can breathe. Truck beds can also serve the same purpose, and add a little bit of fun to your exterior space, too!

Similarly, you can take an old and weathered crib and bring new life to it by painting its sides a pretty color, and use them as a trellis for your vines.

You can even use them to hide unpleasant furniture and accessories that are in your backyard, such as your air conditioner or electrical box. And come wintertime, take your baby’s old crib sheet and use it to protect your plants from the frost. It is particularly ideal for use on planters or small raised beds.

Unused Pantyhose

If you’ve got a pair of pantyhose that’s got some runs, you may think that it no longer has any use in your life. But you’re wrong. Gardens can especially benefit from such accessory, and all you need is a little creativity.

Let’s start with how it can help you out with plants. Do you know that annoying feeling when you go to water your plants only to find out that you didn’t just water the plants but also watered down the soil? Well, placing pantyhose on the bottom of the pots will make sure that water passes through, but not the soil.

Additionally, your old pantyhose can be used to store flower bulbs that are out of season, so that you keep them safe. You can also stake your plants by cutting pantyhose into strips and tying them around the plants.

Or if your melons are growing, place them inside pantyhose legs and then tie the pair onto something supported on the ground so that you can protect the plant from the effects of exposure to external conditions, such as rot, mildew, and insect infestation.

Finally, if you’re hoping to collect the seeds from your flower heads simply slip pantyhose over them and then secure with a twist tie.

Unused Pallets

For those who would like to make the most out of the space that they have, pallets are living dreams. You can use them for just about any type of limited space, including the area outside your apartment window. Just make sure that you have the proper permit to do so.

When you can secure that, you can use the pallets as planters and pots at once. Simply add soil to them, put drainage holes, and you can grow any sort of plant that you like. If you can do more, you can add pads to the back of the pallets and coat them with a water-resistant treatment.

Old Tires

Don’t throw away old tires! Not only are they a headache that you’ll need to contend with, as far as waste treatment policies are concerned, you can also get so much out of them for your garden!

They can double as planters that you can install in many places, such as along your backyard wall. You can leave them as they are to complement a rustic feel that you want to achieve, or you can spruce them up with colorful paint to make them more versatile.

Wheelbarrows

Like tires, wheelbarrows are another handy item that you can transform into just about anything for your garden. Need more planters? Just add drainage holes to the bottom, and you can plant a wide variety of plants in it.

Need an extra chair for your backyard? Saw it in half, paint the bottom half, and treat your guests to rustic furniture that will surely charm them! You can even use it as a receptacle for party food and drinks at the next event that you’re hosting. And if you have the technical skills, you can make a fountain out of this accessory.

Other Household Items

Other household items that make for DIY recycle and reuse garden projects that will surely blow your mind include silverware. If some of yours have gone rusty and you don’t think they’re fit to be used any longer, don’t bin them just yet!

Take a marker, or use something more sophisticated, to write down the names of the plants in your garden on the handles of your spoons, forks, and knives, and plant them into your soil. You would have added a unique touch to your garden while also making it easy for you to identify your plants.

Got extra toolboxes? Great! You can turn them into handy garden helpers by using them as receptacles for succulents. Is the best part? Every time you need to move the plants to an area that can benefit from more greenery, you can! Again, as always, just drill a couple of drainage holes at the bottom to make them breathable for your succulents.

If you don’t have Mason jars but you have plenty of glass pitchers that are a little too worn out for use, they can do exactly what a Mason jar can. Pop some fresh flowers into them for a vase, or turn them into a centerpiece by adding some accessories.

What about tin cans? If you’ve got a couple of aluminum garbage cans that are only waiting to get rusty with disuse, turn them into something useful and make planters out of them. A couple of drainage holes at the bottom, and you’re set!

Speaking of metals like aluminum, did you know that unused gutters can also serve as planters? Some gardens sport the industrial chic look by drilling holes for drainage along the bottom, filling it with good soil, and installing it somewhere that gets a lot of sun for the plants.

Or if you have rain boots instead, the same philosophy applies. Turn them into planters with a couple of drainage holes. You can also use ice cream dishes, shoe organizers, tea tins, drawers, kettles, and hanging pots for the same purpose.

Tips for DIY Recycle and Reuse Garden Projects

So you see, there are so many things that you can do with a little creativity and hard work! To make the most out of the project, consider these extra tips.

Ask friends and family for donations. If your household itself does not have any of the accessories mentioned above, some of your friends and family may! Don’t hesitate to ask them if they can donate some of the things that they no longer use.

They won’t just part with some things that were cluttering up their space anyway, they also get to see and enjoy how you can get creative with them the next time that they visit your house.

Visit dollar stores. If your friends and family don’t have old stuff to spare, don’t worry, there are plenty of dollar stores all over the country that do. The best thing about this is that you will get everything that you need for a bargain and harness priceless value out of them!

Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment! Take a closer look at some of the things that you already have lying around, and see if your garden can help turn them into something else of use.

Author bio

Raul H. Powell is a blogger and specializes in doing in depth research for every garden. He loves to gardening. He currently is a blogger for https://www.earthfairy.com.au in a genuine effort to provide the best quality content to his readers.

SumoGardener.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Additionally, SumoGardener.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links.